Ashburton Intermediate School kapa haka tutor Bernadene Stephens-Tahuri was lost for words when the school was named runner-up in a regional competition.
The school was a first-time entrant in the two-day Tuhono Kapa Haka competition in Christchurch last month.
It is open to intermediate schools in Canterbury and has been running for nine years.
Intermediate competed against eight other schools. The school was placed second in the waiata tira (choral), haka, and waiata- a-ringa (action song).
The song was composed by the Leef whanau who were very involved in kapa haka in the area.
Intermediate were also awarded the best novelty item and pupil Thomas Stephens-Tahuri was awarded the kairakuraku (young guitarist) award.
Bernadene Stephens-Tahuri said the school only learned of the competition this year when principal Brent Gray attended a hui.
‘‘When it came to the competition I was fortunate enough to have maybe six to 10 weeks to get them prepared,’’ Stephens-Tahuri said.
‘‘When we were announced as the runner up, at first, I was lost for words and very proud at the same time and so were our children. I had always explained to our pupils to be humble, but they cheered like they had won the lottery,’’ she said.
‘‘Our whole kaupapa was dedicated to all our loved ones who have passed on.’’
For the intermediate group the best part of the competition was seeing different schools performing.
The school will enter the competition again.
The pupils were supported by whanau and staff throughout practices and at the competition.
‘‘We are really grateful to the whanau, staff and Tuhono for making the competition happen.’’
Intermediate teacher Rochelle Cooney, who is the master artist of kapa haka at the school, created beautiful props used by the pupils.
Items performed were the ones they performed at Flava in Timaru earlier in the year. They have entered this competition for a number of years.
